The present invention relates to watersports attire and relates more particularly to a surfing wetsuit garment having padding in selected areas.
Hardboard surfing is enjoying increasing popularity as more and more people learn to ride the waves. Although the sport of surfing has been dominated by men for many years, the tide is changing and women are paddling into the surf zone in increasing numbers to surf along side the men.
Surfboards are typically constructed of a lightweight foam coated with a hard fiberglass shell. While surfers typically apply a wax coating to the upper surface of the fiberglass shell in order to provide traction, the board is generally used with no matter other than clothing between the board and the surfer.
Much of the surfer""s time is spent paddling the board in order to attain proper positioning for catching and riding waves. To paddle, surfers usually lay prone on the board, often with their backs arched. Sometimes surfers will kneel on the board while paddling.
While laying prone or kneeling on the hard surfboard surface, the weight of a surfer""s body if generally distributed over the body, but tends to concentrate at various pressure points. For instance, while paddling, the weight of a surfer""s torso is mostly supported by the lower ribs, hips and knees. These exemplary pressure points tend to become sore from supporting the surfer""s weight on the hard surfboard. This soreness is exacerbated due to the turbulent nature of the coastal waters through which surfers paddle. Factors such as wind, swell, currents and the waves the surfers intend to ride contribute to the turbulence of the coastal waters and result in a bumpy, inconsistent ride as a surfer paddles along. This bumpy ride causes the surfer""s body to repeatedly, and sometimes traumatically, impact the surfboard.
Moreover, when paddling, a surfer""s body is generally continuously in motion in order to maintain balance in reaction to the turbulent nature of the surrounding waters.
In particular, the surfer shifts body weight to and from the pressure points of the body to engage selected portions of the surfboard surface. This weight shifting results in repetitive movement of the pressure points relative to the hard and waxy upper surface of the surfboard, further contributing to the soreness of the pressure points and also leading to further side effects. Such continuous movement, combined with the weight of the surfer""s body and the bumpy and sometimes traumatic ride through the turbulent waters can cause the pressure points to bruise and chafe.
Continued paddling with such injuries can lead to more serious injuries such as development of calluses, and even scarring. These injuries increase the surfer""s discomfort while surfing, possibly decreasing the surfer""s level of performance and causing the surfer to spend less time surfing.
Other parts of surfers"" bodies, such as elbows and ankles, may also experience bruising and chafing due to repetitive contact and impact with the hard surfboard.
Still further, during surfing, the surfer""s body often traumatically contacts the surfboard while riding waves. This is especially true if the surfer xe2x80x9cwipes outxe2x80x9d and is struck by or lands on the surfboard. Additionally, some surfing maneuvers dictate close interaction with and even leaping onto the surfboard.
Accordingly, there is a need for attire that will reduce or prevent bruising and chafing of specific portions of a surfer""s body during surfing. Preferably the garment should be a wetsuit and other surfing attire that can be worn while surfing to pad specific areas of the body in order to avoid the aches, bruising, chafing and such that are associated with repetitive contact with the hard surfboard surface.
The invention meets this need by providing a wetsuit garment that can be worn while surfing to pad specific areas of the body in order to avoid the aches, bruising, chafing and such that are associated with repetitive contact with the hard surfboard surface. A garment for use in watersports to protect one or more than one vulnerable region of a person""s body considered susceptible to injury associated with repetitive contact with a hard surfboard surface is described comprising a body garment having an inside surface and an outer surface; and one or more than one cushioning pad connected to the body garment, disposed adjacent the inside surface, or the outer surface, or the inside surface and the outer surface, and positioned in juxtaposition to the one or more than one vulnerable region of the body. In certain embodiments, the one or more than one vulnerable region may be selected from the group consisting of the body area in proximity to the ribs, upper hips, elbows, inner elbows, knees, ankles, front of ankles adjacent the feet, and lower back.
In a preferred embodiment, when the vulnerable region comprises the upper hips, the one or more than one cushioning pad comprises two hip pads each having a downwardly-angled curved shape. Additionally, optionally when the vulnerable region comprises the upper hips and the lower back, the one or more than one cushioning pad comprises a belt of padding which encircles the upper hip and lower back area.
In another embodiment the one or more than one cushioning pad is glued or sewn to the body garment. In a further embodiment, the body garment further comprises one or more than one seam, and the one or more than one cushioning pad is sewn to the body garment along a seam, Additionally, optionally the body garment may have a second layer interior of the inside surface, where the one or more than one cushioning pad is sealed between the inside surface of the body garment and the second layer.
In a preferred embodiment, the one or more than one cushioning pad connected to the body garment comprises one or more than one insert pad having a thickness and one or more than one pocket for receiving the one or more than one insert pad. In a further preferred embodiment, the insert pad has a shape generally complementary to the shape of the pocket. In another preferred embodiment, the thickness of the one or more than one insert pad is about 3 millimeters. A system of insert pads of varying thickness and stiffness is disclosed.
In a preferred embodiment the one or more than one insert pad comprises a flexible material, which may be selected from the group consisting of ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA) foam, elastomeric foam and silicone. Additionally, optionally the one or more than one insert pad comprises a sealed sac containing silicone gel, saline solution, water or air.
In a further embodiment, the garment further comprises a hook and loop fastener connected to the one or more than one insert pad and the one or more than one pocket to releasably engage the insert pad in the pocket.
In a preferred embodiment, where the vulnerable region comprises the ribs, the one or more than one pocket comprises two rib pockets. In a further embodiment, each of the two rib pockets further comprise an upper rib pocket and a lower rib pocket. In a further preferred embodiment, the body garment further comprises a main side seam, wherein each of the two rib pockets are sewn onto the main side seam of the body garment. Additionally, optionally the one or more than one pocket may be divided.
In a further embodiment, where the vulnerable region comprises the ribs, the one or more than one pocket comprises a single rib pocket.
In a preferred embodiment, the one or more than one pocket comprises a first side having a first thickness and an edge and a second side having a second thickness and an edge, the first side and second side overlapping each other and being sewn together along their respective edges such that the first side and second side are not attached along a free edge of the second side, creating an opening between the first side and second side, a leading edge of the first side extending somewhat beyond the free edge of the second side, and the pocket being connected to the body garment along the leading edge. In a further preferred embodiment, the leading edge is connected to the body garment such that the pocket is biased toward a closed position having the second side immediately adjacent the body garment, and permitting the pocket to be selectably folded between an open position where the second side faces away from the body garment and a closed position. Additionally, optionally the body garment may further comprise a wire to maintain the shape of the pocket.
In one embodiment, the body garment further comprises a flexible material having a third thickness, where the first thickness of the first side and the second thickness of the second side are each less than the third thickness.
In a preferred embodiment, the first side and the second side of the pocket each comprise a flexible material, which may each be individually selected from the group consisting of neoprene, nylon, latex, and PTFE.
A method for protecting a person""s body from injury associated with repetitive contact with a hard surfboard surface is also disclosed, comprising the steps of identifying one or more than one vulnerable region of a person""s body considered susceptible to injury associated with repetitive contact with a hard surfboard surface, constructing a body garment having an inside surface and an outer surface; and connecting one or more than one cushioning pad to the body garment, disposed adjacent the inside surface, or the outer surface, or the inside surface and the outer surface, and positioned in juxtaposition to the one or more than one vulnerable region of the body.